Gas or vapor lamp and method of operating the same



P. C. HEWITT.

GAS 0R VAPOR LAMP AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME.

APPLICATION FILED MAYIZ. I914- Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

P. C. HEWITT. GAS OR VAPOR LAMP AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12. 1914.

1,82 1,43 3-. Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W/T/VESSES INVENTOR A TTOR/VE Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER COOPER HEWITT, OF RINGWOOD MANOR, NEW JERSEY.

GAS OR VAPOR LAMP AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

Application filed May 12, 1914. Serial No. 838,063.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER COOPER H W- ITT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ringwood Manor, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas or Vapor Lamps and Methods of Operating the Same, of which the following 18 a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in gas or vapor lamps and method of operating the same.

Gas or vapor lamps of the type commonly called Cooper-Hewitt lamps are now Wellknown and need not be here described. The principles governing the construction and operation of such lamps are also well known. I have discovered that by subjecting the space between the electrodes of such a lamp, or an analogous lamp, to the action of an electric or magnetic field important results may be obtained.

I have also discovered that by suitably so increasing the apparent resistance of the lamp, external inductances and resistances, heretofore required to steady such lamps can be reduced, or entirely dispensed with. As the apparent resistance of the lamp is increased by the action of magnetic llnes, the light given off per unit area is increased and there is a visible modification of the spectrum or quality of the light; whereas, heretofore a large percentage of the energy was consumed in the large external resistances or inductances, or both, required to steady the lamp.

I have discovered that by the employment of a magnetic field produced by means of an electromagnet suitably connected with a lampfor example, in ser1esand suitably proportioned to the characterist cs of the lamp, I can produce a lamp which 1s adapted for use on circuits having differing voltages. This is due to the fact that the presence of said field not only causes the apparent resistance of the lamp to increase or decrease as the field increases or decreases in intensity, but to the further fact, also discovered by me, that the effect of such field is to give the lamp a falling electro-motlve force characteristic--that is to say, the electro-motive force required to pass unit current diminishes as the current increases.

I have also discovered that the efiect of a magnetic field'impressed on a gas or Vapor impressed.

The several figures of drawings show modified forms of lamps embodying my present invention.

Referring to Figure 1, 1 is a Cooper-Hew- 1tt lamp of the type and general construction described in prior patents granted to me except that there is a rentrant portion 4 extending in this case toward the negative electrode. trode 2, circular in form, and a negative electrode 3. The tube has a reetrant central portion 4, extending toward the negative electrode. Within such rentrant portion is located an electromagnet 5 connected in series with the tube, as shown.

Instead of an electromagnet connected in series, any other suitable means for creating and maintaining the desired electric or magnetic field may be employed. For example, the magnet may be compound wound; or a simple coil of wire traversed b an electric current may be employed. s far as some of the features of my invention areconcerned, any means for creating the field may be employed.

#Vhen an electromagnet connected in series or compound wound is employed to create the desired field, the tendency of an increase of voltage is to cause an increased flow of current through the magnet and the lamp, and thus to increase the intensity of its field. But the tendency of an increased intensity of field is to increase the apparent resistance of the lamp and so to decrease the current. By properly proportioning the turns to the characteristics of the lamp, it is evident that a substantially constant current may be made to flow through it, although the voltage on the line may vary within wide limits.

When I speak of a gas or vapor lamp, I mean a lamp with a controlled gas or vapor path between the electrodes.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a lamp in which This lamp has a positive electhe electrolmlgnet is in series and in which a device for automatically starting the flow of current is employed. 10 is airalixiliary positive electrode hinged at the point 11 and which, when the lamp is not in operation, is in contact with the mercury negative 3, as shown bv dotted lines. 12 is a contact hinged at 13 and which, when the lamp is not in operation, is in the depressed position shown by dotted lines. \Vhen the circuit containing the lamp is closed, the current flows through the winding of the magnet 5, through contact 12, through the depressed auxiliary positive 10 to the mercury 3, and so to line. In doing so, it energizes the magnet 5 which attracts the auxiliary positive 10, raising it and striking the arc; and at the same time it energizes magnet 14, which lifts contact 12, thus breaking the circuit at this point and shunting the current through main positive electrode 2. The Contact 12 is preferably provided with a dash-pot or other device to make its motion sluggish. In other words, the parts should be arranged so that the contact 12 operates more sluggishly than does the aux iliary positive electrode. 16 is a tube of insulating material, such as porcelain, floating on the surface of the negative electrode, the purpose and function of which has already been described in Patents Nos. (382,690 and 749,793.

Fig. 3 differs from Fig. 1 only in that the magnet 5 is entirely closed within the tube in a chamber which is hermetically sealed and is attached to, or supported by, the tube walls by suitable means of attachment, such as the lugs 15.

Fig. differs from Fig. 1 in that the reentrant portion extends toward the positive electrode and the negative electrode is in the form of an annular cup.

By the use of the term annular herein as descriptive of the form and construction of the gas or vapor tube, I do not confine myself to a construction wherein the tube conducting space is ring-shaped in crosssection, but employ said term in a generic sense to include any form of tube con structed with inner-and outer tubular walls spaced from each other to form the conducting space between the electrode zones whether such space be ring-shaped or of other continuous form in cross-section.

lVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. The combination of a container, a cylindrical current path, main positive and a negative electrode therein, a movable starting positive electrode constituting an armature, a solenoid within the cylindrical path connected in series with the main electrodes and acting upon said armature when traversed by an electrical current, said solenoid also acting upon the cylindrical path to pass lines of magnetic force thereinto, and means for passing an initial current from the start-- ing electrode to the negative electrode.

2. The combination of a container, main positive and negative electrodes therein, an annular current path extending from one of said electrodes and into the neighborhood of the other of said electrodes, a bar electromagnet located in the reiintrant portion of the container, the current through the magnet varying directly with variations of current traversing the electrodes, said magnet being substantially coextensive with said reentrant portion whereby the flux will traverse substantially the WllOle length of the container and serving to pass lines of magnetic force through the current path in proportion to the current traversing it.

3. An inclosing container having electrodes and an interior chamber extending from one of said electrodes into the neighborhood of another of said electrodes, a conducting path between the Walls of the container, a bar electromagnet within the chamher, and means for causing current flow through the magnet in proportion to the current flow through the conducting path, the magnet being substantially coextensive with the chamber whereby the flux will traverse. substantially the whole length of the container.

4. A gas or vapor tube comprising a suitable container and positive and negative electrodes, a portion of the space between the electrodes containing the conducting column being annular and parallel with the current path, and extending from one of said electrodes into the neighborhood of the other of said electrodes, and a bar magnet located adjacent to said annular portion and substantially coextensive therewith whereby the flux will traverse substantially the whole length of th tube.

5. A gas or vapor tu'be comprising a suitable container and positive and negative electrodes, a portion of the space between the electrodes containing the conducting column being annular and parallel with the current path and extending from one of said electrodes into the neighborhood of the other of said electrodes, and a bar magnet located inside said annular :portion and substantially coextensive therewith whereby the flux will traverse substantially the whole length of the tube.

6. A gas or vapor tube comprising a suitable container and positive and negative electrodes, a portion of the space between the electrodes containing the conducting column being annular and parallel with the current path and extending from one of said electrodes into the neighborhood of the other of said electrodes, and a bar magnet located adjacent to said annular portion in series with the supply circuit, said magnet being substantially coextensive with the annular portion whereby the flux will traverse substantially the Whole length of the tube.

7. An inclosing container having electrodes and a reentrant portion extending substantially the length of said container, and a bar magnet in said. reentrant portion substantially coextensive therewith whereby the flux will traverse substantially the Whole length of said container.

8. An inclosing container having electrodes and a rentrant portion extending substantially the length of said container,

and a source of lines of force 'in operative relation to said reentrant portion and sub- 15 stantially coextensive therewith whereby the lines of force Will traverse substantially the whole length of said container.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two sub- 20 scribing Witnesses.

PETER COOPER HEWITT.

Witnesses:

L. A. COLEMAN, R. A. Hnwrr'r. 

